/r/ReasonableFaith

Photograph via snooOG

Our Mission: Reasonable Faith aims to provide a subreddit which focuses on:

  • Philosophical and metaphysical defenses of theism broadly, and Christianity particularly

  • Rhetorical defenses of theistic belief broadly and Christian belief particularly

  • Providing an environment where people develop arguments and insights into the above, or critique same from a friendly perspective

  • Providing an environment where all this can be done without being overwhelmed by atheist or hostile perspectives

Our Mission

Reasonable Faith aims to provide in the public arena an intelligent, articulate, and uncompromising yet gracious Christian perspective on the most important issues concerning the truth of the Christian faith today, such as:

  • the existence of God
  • the meaning of life
  • the objectivity of truth
  • the foundation of moral values
  • the creation of the universe
  • intelligent design
  • the reliability of the Gospels
  • the uniqueness of Jesus
  • the historicity of the resurrection
  • the challenge of religious pluralism

Educational Resources

Recommended Readings - Love thy God with all your mind!

Arguments for Christianity

Presuppositional Argument

Historicity of Jesus outside the Bible

Historicity of the Resurrection

Arguments for the existence of God:

The Unmoved Mover

Transendental Argument

Kalam Cosmological Argument

Fine Tuning Argument

Moral Argument

Ontological Argument

Modal Deduction Argument

Argument from Religious Experience

Reasons for Belief in God:

Belief in God as Properly Basic

Arguments Against Naturalism

Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism

Against Reductive Materialism

Biblical Academic Resources:

Biblical Studies

Other Arguments

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence is wrong!

The case for freewill/dualism

Top 10 internet objections to Kalam

Against YouTube user Evid3nce


Community Policy

Our community here is designed to be a place that welcomes reasonable discourse. Staying near the top of Graham's Hierarchy will guarantee a good discussion.

Likewise, a note: this is a biased subreddit. Specifically, moderation is biased in favor of a broadly theistic, Christian worldview, philosophically and intellectually. This is not yet another atheist v theist debate sub, or even theist v liberal theist. This sub is meant for people interested in apologetics, philosophy, metaphysics and rhetoric from a theism-friendly, design-friendly and to a large degree Christian-friendly perspective.

We have no need of resident atheist skeptics. If we want atheist critiques, they are easy to find on this site.

Likewise we have no need of 'Christian' perspectives which seem strangely and conveniently hostile to apologia or pro-theistic perspectives. Again, that's easy to find elsewhere on reddit.

Insults and condescension will absolutely not be tolerated.

If you feel a user has violated the rules, message the moderators; and they will take care of it.


Related Subreddits

The following subreddits are listed for your connivence. As you present the truth of the Christian worldview with others, please remember to be considerate of the fact that you represent the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly." (Proverbs 14:29 KJV)

/r/ReasonableFaith

6,033 Subscribers

1

267 episodes of Cult Hackers Podcast - High Control Phenomenon

0 Comments
2024/04/20
20:17 UTC

2

Navigating a Tense Debate on Faith with Emotional Insight

I recently engaged in a challenging dialogue with someone whose resentment towards Christianity was deeply rooted in negative personal experiences with the church and his family. His main tactic was to question the veracity of the Bible, a method fueled more by anger than by reasoned argument. His points were often simplistic, such as "If I were born in Iraq, I would be a Muslim," which, while worth considering, did not challenge the core truths of Christianity.

Throughout our conversation, each time I attempted to foster understanding, I was met with these seemingly irrelevant objections. The turning point came when I expressed how his confrontational style was personally hurtful to me. This admission caught him off guard and created a space for me to explain that I could indeed counter each point he raised, supported by extensive knowledge and resources.By highlighting the personal impact of his aggressive rhetoric, I aimed to show him how unproductive and damaging such a method of debate could be. I wasn’t there to simply disprove his arguments one by one; instead, I wanted to reflect the deeper emotional currents that were influencing his views.

My approach didn't resolve all disagreements but did help foster a new level of understanding between us. This experience underscored a vital lesson: reducing hostility often involves addressing the emotional foundations of the conflict rather than engaging in direct confrontation.It seems this conversation might have altered his approach to religious discussions.

He appeared somewhat chastened by the realization that his aggressive stance might have been undermining his own beliefs as much as it was the beliefs of others. I hope this encounter encourages him to rethink not just his arguments but also how he presents them, fostering more respectful and thoughtful exchanges in the future.

0 Comments
2024/04/18
21:32 UTC

2

Blessings all friends

0 Comments
2024/04/16
10:30 UTC

3

Question on pure light

Has anyone done much research or debate on the finding of "pure light" or light that doesn't break down into other wavelength - usually measured by modern instruments like lasers. There is apparently a link between the stones God uses to build and the fact that these stones and not stones like diamonds are still acesteticly pleasing in pure light. Diamonds appear plane or dull....

Normally I don't bother with this type of argument, as I know many far better ones, but I found it interesting and the only response I saw was "they could have held the diamonds up to a lamp" which kind of missed the point.

Anyone heard of this?

0 Comments
2024/03/25
01:09 UTC

3

Matthew 17:20 Bible Verse - Faith can Move Mountains

0 Comments
2024/03/12
18:44 UTC

1

This woman was groomed and abused in Jehovah's Witnesses - She made a film exposing grooming [6 min]

0 Comments
2024/03/07
03:22 UTC

1

Saturday Night Rover (1977¾) Ft. William Lane Craig on Vocals

0 Comments
2024/02/28
03:13 UTC

4

Isaiah 60:22 - God's Timing

0 Comments
2024/02/26
23:45 UTC

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I would like to get this sub's input: Objective morality argument - put the burden of proof on the relativist - *warning* - disturbing example

2 Comments
2024/02/05
14:27 UTC

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Do you think this is the most foundational Bible Verse?

0 Comments
2024/01/25
18:38 UTC

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12 Questions in 2 minutes about life and death - Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses - XJW Coming Out series

0 Comments
2024/01/25
16:09 UTC

1

WITNESS, UNDERGROUND - Escaping My JW Life ~ with SCOTT HOMAN

1 Comment
2024/01/24
12:56 UTC

5

A literal Leap of FAITH!

0 Comments
2024/01/19
19:50 UTC

10

Why I Won't Debate William Lane Craig - Richard Dawkins

11 Comments
2024/01/19
07:58 UTC

0

The multi-verse, it's a simulation and the rise of aliens.

Does anyone else see the irony in all these new theories? As if this world weren't amazing enough, with all it's intricacies, people are lining up behind the multi-verse, even when it exponentially compicates the universe in an unfathomable way - just to avoid the conclusion that God made us.

I love the fact that atheist and agnostics will jump on board with our universe being a simulation. When the video games that they are considering the world to be like are ----CREATED! Calling this awesome universe a simulation is like calling a drop of water the ocean. I might add that it only took the boss a week. While video games have been developed- redeveloped and always seem to fall way short.

Last of all the aliens, I mean at this point were just changing words around to make ourselves feel better.

PSA- please leave the judgment of souls up to God. I have a number of people close to me who fell away from Christianity due to negative experiences with the church and the stress it caused. These people are impossible to talk to logically, due to the injustices faced, they pour their souls resentment and lose the one true way.

3 Comments
2024/01/15
09:42 UTC

1

Three former Jehovah's Witnesses give advice about leaving

0 Comments
2024/01/15
02:35 UTC

1

Jehovah Witness Death Phobia - Escaping A Cult

0 Comments
2024/01/10
03:03 UTC

2

Paul Tillich: "The Escape from God" (1955) — A live reading and discussion on Fridays, starting January 5, open to everyone

1 Comment
2024/01/04
06:42 UTC

1

Was Jesus Christ an Extraterrestrial? Detailed conversation on how he was actually a Representative of the Galactic Federation

0 Comments
2024/01/02
12:24 UTC

2

My gripes with Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Protestantism.

0 Comments
2023/12/28
06:58 UTC

6

I hope all those who enjoy the discussion of faith in this sub has a wonderful Christmas!

I hope everyone who celebrates the birth of the Lord, Savior, Redeemer and author of our salvation, Jesus Christ, spends the day surrounded with love, joy and laughter.

I hope some time is also taken this day for reflection on this divine event and what it means for each of us.

Merry Christmas!

0 Comments
2023/12/25
07:30 UTC

1

Do you pray for the second coming of the Lord frequently?

2 Comments
2023/12/25
02:22 UTC

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God monitors progress of every soul

God monitors progress of every soul

GOD MONITORS PROGRESS OF EVERY SOUL

Shri P V N M Sharma asked: It is said that a sinner is born in sinful atmosphere and it is also said that sinful atmosphere makes the soul sinner. Prahlada is born in demons and not changed by the atmosphere. How to reconcile all these points?

Swami Replied: A sinner is born in sinful atmosphere and the surrounding sinful atmosphere increases the sinful nature of the soul. It is a double punishment. Both don’t contradict each other. A sweet, soaked in sugar solution becomes sweeter. A saltish bread in salt solution becomes more salty. It is only reinforcement and not a contradiction for reconciliation. Prahlada is an exception, since Lord Vishnu told that He Himself is going to be born in demons (Prahlaadashchaasmi daityaanaam— Gita). Let us examine the whole system of cycle and deeds.

The Gita says that the cycle of deeds and fruits is very much complicated with so many parameters surrounding from all sides resulting in a three dimensional network (Gahanaa karmano gatih). I will give a small example: a boy became seriously ill. His parents surrendered to God for cure. The illness was cured and the parents developed their devotion to God. In this incident, the development of devotion of parents is important. For this, the boy must be ill. For the illness, some past sin should be searched and its fruit should be given to the boy as illness. The boy has to suffer with illness someday or other due to the fruit of sin pending in the list. But, if the boy suffers illness now, the parents will immediately reform more through devotion.

Generally, all the sins are punished in hell. When the soul is born here, it is in free atmosphere to go in any line. The past sin should not be brought into this earth because all the sinners are punished in the upper world (hell only). Even though the soul has undergone the punishment, the sin is only reduced and not eliminated. The reduced sin exists in the account of the soul as ‘sanchita’. But in the above case, the specific sin reduced in intensity existing as sanchita is brought into this life and is exhausted in punishment as a special case for the development of devotion of the parents. There is no loss to the soul since it has to undergo the punishment today or tomorrow and hence the soul is not made a scapegoat for the sake of its parents. Hence, even though a basic rule-pattern exists, God is monitoring progress of every soul. For that purpose, any adjustment can be done in the interest of the progress of the soul. When you go to a bank, the manager will do many adjustments in the basic pattern of rules of administration in order to help the customer.

Without violating the fundamental set-up of the administration, some talented ways may be applied by the manager so that the customers feel happy and the bank is maintained with many customers supporting it. In similar way, God is following the case of every soul with utmost care for its reformation and uplift. For this advantage of soul, God does so many adjustments in the rules of administration of cycles of deeds of souls. The uplift of the soul through the reformation is topmost priority for God. God is taking utmost care of each case independently in every birth. You can imagine the unimaginable intelligence of God in attending each soul with utmost care and this supports why God is unimaginable.

The general basic pattern is that this earth is called as karma loka in which the souls do works in free atmosphere. Leaving some emergent sins and good deeds for which the results are seen here only, generally, the fruits of all deeds are enjoyed in the upper worlds (bhoga lokas) in a separate span of time after death. This earth is called as karma loka because here only deeds are done without any pressure based on the discrimination of the soul. Here, the soul is not disturbed by the enjoyment of fruits so that there will be free time for the soul to learn the spiritual knowledge and get reformation. Based on the achieved spiritual knowledge, some souls change their behaviour. Some do not change. Some change a little.

The further treatments in these souls differ from one category to other. Based on the different requirements, different procedures are implemented, which need different requirements of fruits. God is free to use even the fruit of a very long past deed also specifically for a case. The fruits of intensive deeds, good or bad, which are to be implemented in this birth itself, are also used for such emergency. Such arrangement of fruits of intensive deeds to be enjoyed here is specially framed so that the souls will understand that the enjoyment of fruit of any deed is inevitable for any soul. Therefore, the treatment of each soul is specially attended by God and He is free to change the procedure of the treatment at any place, if He feels it necessary.

God is like the chief doctor in the hospital attending every case giving remarks to continue the existing treatment or to introduce any change in it depending on the progress of the health of the patient. The basic administration of the hospital is certainly based on certain standard stages of activity, which are routine. But, the final decision in any point of treatment is based on the God-chief doctor only. The procedures and fruits of deeds are reshuffled by God in a systematic way to suit the need of requirement in the progress of every soul. The basic procedures stand as usual in the hospital except in a special treatment that is needed for the progress of a soul. The general setup of the basic administration takes place like the treatment by junior doctors. The senior most chief doctor is giving guidance to them.

Full Rigidity & Full Flexibility Alter as per God’s Wish That Alone Brings Full Reformation

Therefore, one should not worry about any rigid set-up of rules taking place here since God supersedes every procedure and is free to change it at any stage in view of the requirement for the further progress of soul. Of course, if the treatment is to be continued without any change, the set-up applies in the disciplined way under the supervision of junior doctors. The set-up may be strict, but the treatment to which the set-up is applied can change at any time as per the instruction from chief doctor-God. This means, the whole system, which includes disciplined set-up of rules is under the final control of God, who is the keen observer of the progress of each soul.

The fruits of sins implemented in hell or here are like antibiotics lowering the strength to increase weakness by attacking bacteria like bad qualities. The fruits of good deeds implemented in heaven or here are like tonics giving strength and encouragement of health. When the antibiotic is to be used, what should be its dosage and when the course is to be stopped due to increased weakness followed by tonics for some time, is decided by the chief doctor-God. The deities of hell and heaven and the planets are like junior doctors implementing a rigid procedure during a span of time as per the recommendation of the chef doctor-God in the case of any patient-soul. The treatment looks disciplined as long as the junior doctors are carrying on it for a specific period under the instruction of chief doctor.

By this, you should not think that the chief doctor can’t alter the treatment, who may not interfere with the discipline of the treatment while it is going on as per His own instruction only. But, He is free to change the very path of the treatment as per the requirement of the patient. Hence, we can say that the path of the cycle of deeds and fruits is highly disciplined and at the same time is highly flexible as per the decision of the chief doctor-God. If the patient has to continue on some treatment strictly implemented with full discipline, it will continue so by the efforts of the loyal junior staff since such treatment in such strict way is the recommendation of the chief doctor only. But, if the chief doctor wishes, the treatment with antibiotics may break at any stage and treatment with the tonics may continue up to any time as per the orders of chief doctor-God. In the running strip of the treatment, rigidity may exist, but, the strip may break at anytime as per the instruction of chief doctor-God.

The final conclusion is that you must observe full rigidity and full flexibility altering as per the wish of the chief doctor-God, whose decision alone can bring the soul to full reformation, which is the highest aim of the highest authority. The punishments in the hell are the doses of antibiotics and the enjoyments in heaven are tonics. On this earth, both hell and heaven co-exist. For some patients, both treatments are to be done alternatively and for some others both treatments are to be given simultaneously. Every decision comes from the chief doctor-God only. Sometimes an emergent patient may have to be operated by surgery in IC unit of the hospital and that is the God’s incarnation killing a very dangerous demon.

Everything should be understood in the angle of curing the illness to get best health only and in this angle, the chief doctor should be understood to be very kind and interested in the welfare of the soul only and not to be harsh-enemy. Cutting the body with surgical instruments in hospital is different from cutting the body with weapons in the war. Both look like, but, the intention, aim and the final result are entirely different from each other. You must love God even in difficulties, which weaken you like antibiotic courses and should never blame God even in dream. It is the highest sin to blame God since you are mistaking the love as vengeance.

0 Comments
2023/12/25
02:13 UTC

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